Attachment for liquid-fuel tanks.



B. A. MIRES. ATTACHMENT FOR LIQUID FUEL TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, I916- Pate ted July 3, 1917.

U rdTrkTEd PATENT @FFTQE.

BENJAMIN A. MIRES, OF SIDNEYQ-OHIO.

arracniunnr roa LIQUID-FUEL TANKS Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented July 3, 1917;

Application filed March 7, 1916. Serial No. 82,661.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN A. Minus, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Sidney, in the county of Shelby and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Attachment for Liquid-Fuel Tanks, of which the following is a" specification.-

In certain makes of automobiles the fuel tank is placed under the seat, and the seat must be removed before the tank can be I -filled.- Moreover, there is no way to ascertain the quantity of fuel thereis in the tank without removing the seat. The principal object of my invention is to provide means for filling the tank and of enabling one to discover what quantity of fuel the tank contains without removing the seat; even without disturbing the occupants of the seat.

Another object is to construct the attach ment in such way that it can be applied, with practically no expense, to automobiles already in use. Another object is to provide an attachment of the character described at such a small cost as to make it attractive to the most economical persons. Another object is to provide a device which will be so simple in construction as to be understood by most anyone and not be liable to get out of order.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 shows my attachment in place on a tank located under a seat. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the device attached to a tank. Fig. 3 shows a modified arrangement for attaching the device to the tank.

Similar numerals refer to like parts .in all of the views.

In some cases the seat is a rigid cushion which must be removed to gain access to the tank. In other cases the seat consists of a flexible cushion lying on a board, both of which must usually be removed to gain access to the tank. Fig. 1 illustrates this latter type, and my attachment consists of a pipe adapted to lie between the board and cushion, one end of the pipe extending down through, a hole in the board and connecting with the fuel opening of the tank. The

other end of the pipe is bent upward so that fuel may be poured into it, and is provided with a suitable cover. The pipe is of such length and so positioned that this upturned portion will lie against the front edge of the seat at a point where it Wlll be between persons sitting on the seat, thus making 1t possible" to fill the tank Without disturbing them. y

The constructionof my device is best illustrated in Fig. 2, where the'endsof the pipe are bent so as to extend in opposite directlon's at right angles to its axis. The inner extension, 1-1, is threaded to screw into a bushing 15, and this bushing is threaded to screw into the collar 16 forming part of the tank.- The threads on the pipe and interior of the bushing areoii opposite hand from the threads on the outside of the bushing. In attaching the pipe the bushing is screwed onto extension 1d a short distance; then the bushing is screwed into the tank collar. Because of the right and left hand threads the extension is screwed down into the bushing as the lattenis screwed into the tank collar, bringing thegend of the extension somewhat below the collar. A vent tube 17 is formed in the extension 14: which is provided with an apierture 18in the ta'nk and aperture 19 above the tank collar. The other extension, 20, is threaded to receive a cap 21 which may be the cap formerly used on the tank.

A staple 22 is secured in the wall of extension 20, through which a chain 23 passes. This chain passes through the pipe and hangs down in the tank, a weight 24 being secured at the end. A ring 25 on the upper end of the chain rests on the staple and when it is in this position the weight prac tically touches the bottom of the tank. The staple is broad enough to allow a substantial portion of the ring to pass through it and the tension of the chain on the lower portion of the ring keeps the ring erect, so the user mayreadily grasp the ring and pull up the chain. The chain passes freely through an aperture in the float 26, which rises or falls with the level of the fuel in the tank, the chain acting as a guide but ofiering no impediment to its movement. To ascertain the level of the fuel the operator lifts the ring gently until the weight is felt to come in contact with the float. The distance the chain has been lifted shows the ,depth of the fuel. If desired, the chain may be provided with marks indicating difi'ere t quantities of fuel. Instead of a chain some other flexible member, such as a fishing line, or a slender wire, may be used. I

The cr ss section of pipe l 3 is shown in Fig. 3. Otherwise this figure shows a modified attachment to the tank. The extension 14; is simply smooth and of such size as to fit snugly in the collar 16. Other modifications may be made without departing from the essence of the appended claims.

' What I claim is as follows:

1. In combination; a member adapted to be suspended in a fluid reservoir and arranged so it may be lifted manually, and a float having an aperture through which the member passes freely, so that the float may rise or fall with the level of the fluid, said member being arranged to act as the sole guide for the float and having an enlarged lower end which impinges on the lower side of the float when the member is lifted.

2. In combination; a chain or the like adapted to be suspended in a fluid reservoir and arranged so it may be lifted manually, and a float having an aperture through which the chain passes freely so that the I float may rise or fall with the level of the fluid, said chain acting as the sole guide for the float and having a Weight on its'lower end which impinges on the lower side of the float when the chain is lifted.

3. In combination: a tank, a pipe, means for attaching the pipe to an openlng in the tank, a chain or the like passing through the pipe and having a weight on one end, the weighted end of the chain hanging down in the'tank, a float through which the depending chain passes freely so the float may rise or fall with the level of the fluid in'the tank, the chain being the sole guide for the float, and means within the unattached end of the pipe for naving an aperture limiting the downward movement of the chain but permitting the chain to be drawn through the pipe and float.

4. In combination: a tank, a pipe, means for attaching the pipe to an opening in the tank, a chain or the like passing through the pipe and having a weight on one end, the weighted 'end of the chain hanging down in the tank, a float having an aperture through which the depending chain passes freely so the float may rise or fall with the level of the fluid in the tank, a ring on the unweighted end, and a staple'in the unattached end of the pipe through which the chain passes, said staple being of such size and shape as will act as a support for the ring and hold it in a position where it may be grasped and the chain drawn up through the pipe and float;

5. In combination with a tank, a pipe of non-rectilineal form attached thereto, a chain or the like passing through said pipe and hanging down in the tank, a float having an aperture through which the chain in the tank passes freely,'and a weight on the end of the chain below theflo t.

6. In combination wit a tank, a chain suspended in the tank, a float having an aperture through which; said chain passes .freely, and a weighton the lower end of the chain, said chain being so arranged that it may be drawn, up through the float until the weight engages th s lower side of the floatand so that thefhand of the erson drawing it up will detect by sense of flieeling' the contact of the weight and float.

BENJAMIN A. MIRES. 

